The Body Doesn't Lie (33 page)

To prepare the salsa, quarter the cherry tomatoes and place in a small bowl with the shallot, capers, and lemon juice. Gently mix those ingredients; then add the olive oil and stir. If you prefer to use unsalted capers, you may want to add salt to taste.

Remove the skin from the baked sea bass and gently lift the fillets from the bone. Serve on a large plate with steamed vegetables (such as broccoli), which can be drizzled with olive oil and lemon for extra flavor. Garnish the fish with generous amounts of salsa. (Note: This recipe also works well with Alaskan halibut, Red Snapper or Grey Mullet.)

SERVES 2 TO 3

           
1½ pounds fresh Ahi tuna or Mahi Mahi steaks

           
Sea salt and pepper to taste

           
2 to 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

           
1 tablespoon lemongrass, finely chopped

           
1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger

           
1 teaspoon fresh basil leaves, chopped

Rub olive oil on the tuna steaks and season both sides of the fish steaks with salt and pepper on both sides. For medium-rare, fry the fish in a hot pan for 5 to 6 minutes on each side (depending on the thickness of the steaks), turning over only once. The fish should be nicely browned on the outside but still pinkish on the inside. Add the lemongrass, ginger, and basil leaves to 2 to 3 tablespoons of olive oil and the lemon juice in a shallow bowl and stir. Season with a little salt and pepper. Let the mixture rest for at least 30 minutes before drizzling over the tuna steaks.

SERVES 4 TO 6

           
1 whole large chicken

           
1 teaspoon garlic, finely chopped

           
1 cup white sweet onion, thinly sliced

           
2 to 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

           
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

           
1 teaspoon dry oregano

           
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Using a sharp knife, split the chicken down the back and remove the backbone. Stuff garlic between the skin and the breast meat for flavor and season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper. Lay the onion slices in a baking pan that has been greased with a little olive oil. Place the flattened chicken halves on top of the onion, skin side up. Drizzle with olive oil and season with oregano. Roast the chicken for 1½ hours, until the skin is golden brown. To check if the chicken is thoroughly cooked, place a skewer or a sharp knife into the thickest part of the thigh and remove. If the tip of the skewer or knife is warm to the touch, the chicken is ready to be removed from the oven. Take the pan out and pour the lemon juice onto the sizzling skin. Let the chicken rest for 10 to 15 minutes before carving and serving..

SERVES 1

           
3 eggs (whites only)

           
¼ cup goat’s-milk feta cheese

           
½ tablespoon bunch chives, finely snipped

           
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Place the egg whites in a mixing bowl, discarding the yolks. Crumble the feta into the bowl, add the chives, and mix well. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the egg mixture, which will form a thin bubbly layer on the base of the pan. Remove the pan from the heat when a golden crust forms around the edges of the frittata and the center seems fully cooked. Slide the frittata onto a large plate. Serve with a slice of toasted 100-percent rye bread or a tomato and red onion salad.

SERVES 4

           
2 large Cabrito goat thighs cut into 3-inch-long pieces

           
3 cups white/yellow onions, sliced

           
1 tablespoon dry oregano

           
1 cup vegetable stock

           
1 tablespoon garlic, finely chopped

           
1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

           
2 cups seedless prunes

           
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

           
½ cup olive oil

Place the pieces of Cabrito, onions, oregano, vegetable stock, garlic, lemon juice, prunes, and salt and pepper in a Dutch oven or other stovetop pan. Bring the liquid to a boil then turn down the heat and leave to cook on a medium-low setting. Stir the meat around after 1 hour and continue cooking over low heat until vegetables are tender and the liquid has been reduced by about half (about 90 minutes to 2 hours). Plate the Cabrito pieces with vegetables and drizzle a little olive oil at the end to give the meat a nice sheen. This dish is delicious on its own or accompanied with brown rice, quinoa, or pearl barley.

SERVES 4 TO 6

           
4 to 6 dried rosemary sprigs

           
4 cups chicken thighs or breasts or turkey breasts

           
2 cups yellow onions, sliced

           
8 to 10 figs

           
1 clove garlic, finely chopped

           
1 cup vegetable stock

           
1 pinch dry oregano

           
1 lemon, juiced

           
2 to 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

           
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the chicken or turkey pieces on top of the rosemary sprigs in a baking dish that has been greased with a little olive oil. Roast the meat in the oven for 60 minutes, turning occasionally until brown. Remove the pan from the oven and add onion, figs, garlic, vegetable stock, oregano, lemon juice, olive oil, and salt and pepper. Place the tray back in the oven for an additional 30 minutes before removing and serving.

SERVES 4 TO 6

           
2 pounds lean ground beef

           
2 cups white/yellow onions

           
4 cups ripe vine tomatoes (blended into juice)

           
2 bay leaves

           
2 cinnamon sticks

           
1 teaspoon cinnamon

           
1 whole carrot, peeled

           
1 cup vegetable stock

           
3 to 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

           
Sea salt and pepper to taste

Brown the meat over medium heat in a large saucepan. Grate in the onions and add the tomato juice, bay leaves, cinnamon sticks, cinnamon, carrot, and vegetable stock. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir until all the ingredients are mixed well. Cover the saucepan and cook over low heat, for 45 to 60 minutes. Turn off the burner and let the sauce rest and cool for 10 minutes before adding olive oil. Serve with gluten-free spaghetti.

SERVES 4

           
4 cups lean ground beef or turkey

           
1 bunch parsley, finely chopped

           
½ tablespoon dry oregano

           
1 cup vegetable stock

           
1 large white onion, grated

           
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

           
1 egg

           
1 slice gluten-free rye bread

           
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the rye bread in a bowl of hot water for 2 to 3 minutes to soften. Combine the meat, parsley, oregano, vegetable stock, onion, olive oil, egg, bread, salt, and pepper in a large mixing bowl. Separate the mixture into ½-inch, palm-size patties. Arrange the patties on a baking tray that has been greased with a little olive oil and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden brown. (Note: Serve with slice of feta drizzled with olive oil and pair with Greek Goddess Salad.)

SERVES 2

           
1 shallot, finely chopped

           
3 mini–sweet peppers (red, orange, and yellow), finely chopped

           
1 tomato, finely chopped

           
½ tablespoon garlic, finely chopped

           
½ tablespoon cilantro leaves, finely chopped

           
½ cup almond-stuffed olives, thinly sliced

           
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice

           
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

           
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

           
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Mix the shallot, peppers, tomato, garlic, cilantro, olives, lemon and lime juice, and olive oil. Leave the mixture to rest for a least 1 hour at room temperature. Sample at that point and add salt and pepper to taste. This salsa is delicious served with a whole roasted fish or with grilled tuna or mahi-mahi steaks.

SERVES 4

           
4 cups vegetable stock (recipe below), hot

           
2 cups pearled spelt

           
2 leeks

           
4 cups kale (a mixture of Russian, English, and Tuscan works well)

           
¼ cup unsalted butter

           
1 tablespoon olive oil

           
½ cup shallots, finely chopped

           
1 cup grated hard goat cheese

           
FOR THE VEGETABLE STOCK:

           
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

           
1 cup yellow onion, grated

           
2 cups carrots, peeled and grated

           
1 tablespoon garlic, minced

           
2 cups celery, finely chopped

           
2 bay leaves

           
5 cups boiling water

Sauté the garlic, onions, and grated carrots in a saucepan over medium-low heat for 2 minutes taking care not to brown them; then add bay leaves and 5 cups boiling water. Return the mixture to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Strain to create the vegetable stock—a “light vegetable tea”—which is now ready to be used for the risotto.

Place the spelt in a sieve, rinse it under the cold tap, and then soak it in a bowl of cold water for 15 minutes. While it’s soaking, halve the leeks lengthwise, rinse carefully, and chop finely. Strip the leaves from the stalks (or spines) of the kale and roughly chop the leaves. Set aside the leeks and kale.

Stir for a couple minutes, making sure that all the grains are well coated and not sticking together. Using a ladle, gradually add the hot stock in batches, stirring frequently until the liquid is absorbed before ladling in more stock. Repeat this step until the spelt is almost cooked through. (This will take about 20 minutes. You may not need all the stock.) Add the kale and cook for a further 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the butter and half the cheese. In a large saucepan over low heat, gently sauté the shallots without browning them. After a couple minutes, add the leeks and cook for a further 2 to 3 minutes. Again, be very careful not to brown the vegetables. They need to be translucent.

Drain the spelt well and add to the pan with the leeks and shallots. Garnish individual servings with the remaining cheese.

A salad of baby leaves makes a good side. (Kale, chard, and beetroot leaves work well with this dish.)

(Note: Spelt contains more protein and fiber than rice does, and is more filling. In order to make this a light dish, it’s important to use a greater ratio of vegetables to grains than you would in a normal risotto.)

SERVES 2 TO 3

           
2 cups water

           
1 cup vegetable stock

           
3 to 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

           
½ lemon, juiced

           
1 cup brown rice or quinoa

In a large saucepan, bring the water to a boil on high heat. Add the vegetable stock, olive oil, and lemon juice. When the mixture comes to a boil again, add the brown rice or quinoa, lower the heat, and let the mixture simmer, covered, for 35 minutes. Serve with California Fresh Salad or raw or steamed vegetables.

SERVES 2 TO 3

           
½ cup spring (green) onion, chopped

           
5 cups fresh spinach, washed, drained, and chopped

           
6½ cups water

           
1⅓ cups short-grain brown rice

           
1 lemon, juiced (about 2 tablespoons)

           
⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil

           
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

In a stockpot, fry the spring onion in 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the spinach and 1⅓ cups water and cook until the spinach wilts, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the rice and remaining 5¼ cups water; bring the mixture to a boil and let it simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the lemon juice; cook for another 5 minutes and then remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the remaining olive oil and cover the pan. Let the dish sit for 20 minutes until the ingredients “meld.” Season with salt and pepper to taste.